Alocasia longiloba is a flowering plant of the Araceae family, typically grown for its distinctive 'elephant ear' foliage. Native to China and east Asia.A. longiloba has grey-green leaves with white veining. The leaves are held on burgundy petioles.These leaves emerge from an underground corm. A corm is the swollen base of a stem axis enclosed by dry scale-like leaves that form a protective shell.
General alocasia watering guide when it comes to watering, an alocasia needs are different than most tropical plants. Like most of their jungle-bred cohort, they do love high humidity – but they draw a line at moist soil. Alocasias want their mix to be kept on a dry side.
Simply apply the fertilizer around the base of the plant, extending to the drip line. For vegetables, place the fertilizer in a strip parallel to the planting row. Water-soluble fertilizers are faster acting but must be applied more frequently. This method gives plants food while you water.
To prune a plant to encourage bushy new growth, snip off the dominant buds on select stems, staggering the cuts to encourage varied growth.
Alocasias will start to suffer below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Some varieties will die back during colder weather and resprout from the rhizome.
Whether it be plastic or clay, make sure the pot you select has drainage holes in the bottom to prevent over-watering.
The Alocasia is a very poisonous plant; the leaves contain insoluble oxalate crystals.If a human or pet chews or bites into the leaves, they will release the crystals which can cause swelling and irritation of the mouth and GI tract. Very rarely, there will be extreme swelling of the upper airway, making it difficult to breathe. Keep the plant away from children and pets and call poison control, your doctor, or vet if a person or animal ingests the plant leaves.
